The BJJ legend Fernando Terere has serious mental health issues and following an incident on a US plane and his altercation with US security agents he spent several months in solitary not being treated too good by the US government. His depression worsened on his return to Brazil and he became involved in drugs, he and his family have tried to get help but as they are from the Favela (slums of Brazil) they couldn’t afford the private health care needed.

We at Garra (along with Terere student Pedro Bessa), fightplanet (Canada) and numerous top level black belts and BJJ practitioners worldwide (Marcello Garcia for example) have raised cash through donations, seminars and the sale of “Volta Terere (come back Terere)” T-shirts. All money has been transferred to Terere and his family and he is much, much better after treatment, which is ongoing (http://www.graciemag.com/en/2010/01/...spirits-lift/). We hope and pray that one day he will return to the mat. The facebook group is (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127713016481)

there is a lot more detail PM me and I'll happily give you details of what I know. Thanks for the interest.

wagon can i send a check through the post mate if so can u send me an address and i'll post it to you

PM sent mate the business address is on the Garra website also.

We spoke to Terere's Parents at Christmas and they were over the moon and would like tho thank the European BJJ community for thier support in buying the Volta Terere T-shirts. We are hoping that this fund raising is something we can expand on and may be help others in the Favelas.

We'll be selling the Volta Terere T-shirts at the UK Premier BJJ champs in Bristol Feb 27th along with other merchandise. Fokai have commited to helping with the fund raising as much as possible and we are hoping the guys from Guam will be at the comp and with thier cool Fokai clothing and raise more cash for Terere.